I think one of the most common questions I see and get when it comes to interior spaces is, “What color do you think I should paint these walls”. Shockingly, (but not shockingly at all) my go to answer will always be simple…

“When in doubt, paint them white!”

“White, what why?!?” you might ask. Well, it’s simple. White is a blank canvas, it’s clean, refreshing, lets light bounces off of it, always brightens up a room, and never will make you moody. Oh, and yes, that’s a real thing! Colors can affect your mood, and certain colors have been proven to make you mentally feel certain ways when you see it. For example, ever wondered why almost every fast food restaurant has the color red in their logo? No, it’s not because it’s making you “halt” or “stop”. It’s because the color red stimulates your brain to be excited, think of love, passion, and power; all things related to food as well. Love what you eat, passionate over cravings, and feeling powerful to make a choice over what you want to eat. Seems extreme, but it’s the truth. Even in little ways, advertisers have been using color to draw our attention and pull us into buying their products. The bigger question I’m sure you have is “why?”. Why does our brain react to color in such emotional ways? Well, I think that’s just one of those questions we’ll leave for God one day.

If our brains are so stimulated by colors, then one also wonders why do home decor stores, magazines, and even some interior designers push for so many neutrals instead of color?

I think the answer to that question is simple as well. It’s FEAR.

“Fear?” yes… Fear of Color.

It does seem strange when you say that out loud doesn’t it? How can one be afraid of color? Walk outside right now and look around. What do you see? Go into your backyard and find the closest tree. Pluck a leaf and inspect it. Now tell me, do you just see green, or do you see various colors? That’s right! Our lives on earth are surrounded by beautiful colors. Even an object as small as a leaf can look like it’s simply one color, but upon inspection, it’s truly a magical array of many different colors comprised into one small space, so why should your home be any different?

Well, it shouldn’t, but it doesn’t mean one should go crazy, pick every color in the universe and just throw it into one space and think it will look good. No, there always have to be a color balance. That is one of the many reasons why using white walls is a great balance to off-set color. Think about it this way. When you walk into an art and supply store and go all the way to the back wall, I bet you’ll find a large variety of canvas in all different shapes and sizes. What is the one thing all those canvases have in common though? That’s right, you guessed it. They are all white. Ok, I know what all you artists are thinking. It’s because it has a layer of gesso on it which comes in white. Well sure, but I see a white canvas, the same as a white sheet of paper. It’s a blank clean canvas. Color senses associate “white” with “clean” or “blank” and NO, that does NOT equal boring. It’s the opposite. It means “a fresh start”. White is the most neutral color of them all because it’s the purest pigment form, which means that it gives space for colors to live and bounce off the white walls. It allows the colors to breathe, to have space to move into many different directions. I can go on and on and on about why “white” will always be the go-to color for any wall or interior space, so to keep it simple.

“White is the blank canvas that allows room for colors to pop, light to bounce, and your brain to relax. So, when in doubt, paint them white!”

Lastly, I would also like to add, that white walls allows you to grow as your own decorator. To experiment with those colors inside a space. As your age changes, your mood changes and trends changes, you will find that your white walls won’t! It’s because your white walls allow you the freedom to change one or two things in a room over time, rather than a complete redecoration that would be timely and more costly. It also allows your room to play with colored furniture and wood tones. Yes, unlike people, white will always be the right choice for your space.

For more photo examples and opinions on this topic, check out Laurel Home’s blog post here.

Top Photo Source: Architectural Digest